Grave Of The Fireflies [1988]

I've seen this film 3 days ago, and now i continue thinking about the story of the two children.

I love this film. I think that should be obligatory to view at school.

I felt love, happy, sad and pain when i saw the movie.

I don't want explain many things of the film, because is better than you see it without knows that occurs.

Only i tell you that I have NEVER cried so many like in this movie.

You must to see it!!!!!!!!

pd=I don't understand how this film has taken a long time in coming to EUROPE. It's made in the year 1988. It's unjust!!


"Why do fireflies have to die so soon?"   May 27, 2005
Sebastian Fernandez (Tampa, Florida United States)
28 out of 29 found this review helpful

I am not an anime expert or anything close to that; I have only watched a couple of series and another couple of movies in this genre. Maybe that is why in my mind I had classified the genre as one that is based mainly on action, usually involving swords or guns and vast amounts of blood. This is one of the main reasons why my curiosity was highly piqued when people recommended this movie to me and I read about its topic. After watching it I was instantly convinced that I had just experienced one of the most successful attempts at conveying the consequences war has on innocent people. In this case the effect is magnified by the fact that the sufferers are children.

In the year 1945, close to the end of World War II, Japan is being bombarded through air raids. A young boy named Senta and his little sister, Setsuko, have to run to the shelter and in the process they get separated from their mother. When they finally find her again she is seriously injured and does not last long in her attempts at survival. Now the kids only have an aunt to support them and guide them through the turmoil. But the grownup performs this task with little enthusiasm, so the children are basically left to survive by themselves. That is when we get to see the power of love between the siblings, and the contrast with the disinterest of the rest of the people in the village regarding the well-being of the kids.

I am sure that this is one of the great masterpieces of the genre, since it presents a whole array of emotions, running from despair to hope without limits, through its excellent script and crafty graphics. In my case it will probably serve as a benchmark to rate all other future anime dramas in the future. If you have never watched any anime and are trying to decide where to start, I guarantee you that there is no better place than right here!


A quietly beautiful, saddening film   August 25, 2004
23 out of 23 found this review helpful

This is a film apart from any other Ghibli film I have seen. Where as Miyazaki films (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) are fantastical, this film is very much grounded in the gritty reality of our resent past. Set at the end of World War II it is the harrowing story of 2 children facing life in a war-ravaged Japan. Make no mistake, this film is not typical Ghibli escapism. The grim realities of war are never sugar coated, this film pulls no punches.

The characters are just as grounded in reality as the setting. There is no idealised hero here. Seita is a boy struggling with responsibilities no child should face, he strives to look after his sister as best he can in a situation beyond his means to control. This film is all the more powerful because of the real characters. The cold reaction of people to the children's misfortune is uncomfortable to watch, but probably more real than we would care to admit.

Even with such a grim subject matter it still manages to be beautiful and even magical in places. I'd be lying if I said this was my favourite Ghibli film, but very few animated films have emotionally affected me as much as Grave of the Fireflies.

Recommended with a sad heart.


One of the most powerful anti-war movies ever made   September 3, 2004
23 out of 24 found this review helpful

This is obligatory viewing for anyone who thinks that cartoons are only for children. Based on a real story, the movie could easily have been shot as a standard feature with real actors but the animations add an extra dimention and depth to the feelings that seep through the movie that would be impossible to capture on a camera. It would be like reading the lyrics to a song without listening to the music.

This is the story of the two Japanese children during the period of the Tokyo air raids when the allies were on the counter-offensive and the hardships they face. But there's so much more than that in the film. It is a testament to the horrors of war, to human insanity, fanaticism, cynicism, compassion, hope, spirituality. The last 20 minutes of the film deliver such an emotional punch that it is nearly impossible to hold back the tears. Once the film is finished, go back and watch the first 5 minutes of the introduction again since it is there that the story essentially concludes.

The internet movie database rates this film 8.3/10 putting it in the top #200 films of all time. I gave it a 10/10.


A powerful and heartbreaking film   April 5, 2005
23 out of 24 found this review helpful

I watched "Grave of the Fireflies" last night and felt compulsed to write a review (something I rarely do). My knowledge of anime is rather limited with the majority of what I have seen being Miyazaki films. So when I watched this movie I was taken aback to say the least.

I am not going to recount the storyline but it suffices to say that it is a harsh and utterly beleivable one. This is easily the most moving "cartoon" that I have ever seen and in my top five most moving films of all time. NEVER have I cried as much watching a movie...this is powerful stuff. In places in it almost too painful to watch but you persist, tranfixed by the simple beauty of the animation.

This a must see for everyone, not just anime fans. A astounding acheivement that will stay with you for days afterwards. Be warned however this is far from the escapism of Miyazaki and I am not sure if I can face watching this masterpiece a second time.

A beautiful, searing and occasionally magical film which I recommend highly, albeit with a sad heart.